The Community School Initiative in Toronto: Mitigating Opportunity Gaps in the Jane and Finch Community in the Wake of COVID-19

COVID-19 significantly impacted the delivery of education with widespread disruptions, particularly disadvantaging racialized and low-income families. Our research project explored how community-based programming can be adapted and mobilized to mitigate opportunity and achievement gaps for Black, Indigenous, people of colour (BIPOC), and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds. The project as a case study examined an afternoon and weekend supplementary academic program called the Community School Initiative (CSI), offered from September 2020 to May 2021 to members of the Jane and Finch community in Toronto, Canada at a subsidized cost. CSI is a partnership between the non-profit organization Youth Association for Academics, Athletics, and Character Education (YAAACE) and the for-profit enterprise Spirit of Math. It delivers a structured math curriculum to students in grades two to eight aged 8 to 14 years, old supported by a team of caring adults including parents, coaches, and Ontario certified teachers. The efficacy and outcomes of the CSI was assessed through surveys with parents (n=33), students (n=33), and teachers (n=4), and a focus group with seven teachers delivering the curriculum in the CSI. We also discuss the significance of how the research was conducted in the wake of COVID-19. Hence, this article is about the findings from the data, but just as much about the community-driven approach to how the research was conducted, by the community and for the community

Overcoming Recruitment Challenges: A Pilot Study in Arab Americans

While diabetes prevalence and cardiovascular risk factors have been increasing among Arab populations worldwide, few studies of Arab Americans have been conducted because of the difficulty in recruiting Arab American participants. Cultural sensitivity and social awareness of different immigrant groups could ensure successful recruitment and retention in clinical studies. While the primary objective of our overall research project was to determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Arab Americans, the focus of this article is to describe the methodology used to overcome challenges in recruiting and enrolling Arab Americans for a community-based study. We used novel methods, including open houses, religious-based venues, and engagement of community leaders, to encourage participation in this clinical and epidemiological study. A community-based approach involving community leaders and educators was useful in recruiting and encouraging participation in this study. As a result, we were able to collect clinical and anthropometric data from 136 Arab American men and women living in the Washington, DC, area and obtain information regarding their chronic diseases, mental health, and acculturation into U.S. culture and lifestyle. Our sampling methodology may serve as a model of a successful recruitment and enrollment strategy, and may assist other researchers to ensure sufficient power in future studies. Engagement of minority participants in clinical studies will enable the creation of targeted clinical intervention and prevention programs for underrepresented and understudied populations

“Beyond just the four walls of the clinic”: The roles of health systems caring for refugee, immigrant and migrant communities in the United States

This article is part of the Research Topic ‘Health Systems Recovery in the Context of COVID-19 and Protracted Conflict’IntroductionRefugee, immigrant and migrant (hereafter referred to as “immigrant”) communities have been inequitably affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. There is little data to help us understand the perspectives of health systems on their role, in collaboration with public health and community-based organizations, in addressing inequities for immigrant populations. This study will address that knowledge gap.MethodsThis qualitative study used semi-structured video interviews of 20 leaders and providers from health systems who cared for immigrant communities during the pandemic. Interviewees were from across the US with interviews conducted between November 2020–March 2021. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis methods.ResultsTwenty individuals representing health systems participated with 14 (70%) community health centers, three (15%) county hospitals and three (15%) academic systems represented. The majority [16 health systems (80%)] cared specifically for immigrant communities while 14 (70%) partnered with refugee communities, and two (10%) partnered with migrant farm workers. We identified six themes (with subthemes) that represent roles health systems performed with clinical and public health implications. Two foundational themes were the roles health systems had building and maintaining trust and establishing intentionality in working with communities. On the patient-facing side, health systems played a role in developing communication strategies and reducing barriers to care and support. On the organizational side, health systems collaborated with public health and community-based organizations, in optimizing pre-existing systems and adapting roles to evolving needs throughout the pandemic.ConclusionHealth systems should focus on building trusting relationships, acting intentionally, and partnering with community-based organizations and public health to handle COVID-19 and future pandemics in effective and impactful ways that center disparately affected communities. These findings have implications to mitigate disparities in current and future infectious disease outbreaks for immigrant communities who remain an essential and growing population in the US

Perspectives of public health organizations partnering with refugee, immigrant, and migrant communities for comprehensive COVID-19 case investigation and contact tracing

ObjectivesTo understand public health organizations’ experiences providing comprehensive COVID-19 case investigation and contact tracing, and related promising practices with refugee, immigrant and migrant communities.MethodsWe interviewed public health professionals (September 2020 to February 2021) from local and state health departments using a geographically stratified, purposive sampling approach. A multidisciplinary team at the National Resource Center for Refugees, Immigrants and Migrants (NRC-RIM) conducted a thematic analysis of the data.ResultsSix themes were identified: understanding community and public health context, cultivating relationships, ensuring linguistic and cultural concordance, communicating intentionally, evolving response, and implementing equity. The interconnection of themes and promising practices is explored.ConclusionAs public health continues to learn from and build upon COVID-19 response experiences, the thematic findings and potential promising practices identified in this project may foster proactive, community-engaged solutions for public health, and other organizations working and partnering with refugee, immigrant, and migrant communities. Implementing these findings with COVID-19 into current and future public health crisis responses may improve public health, collaborations with refugee, immigrant, and migrant communities, and staff wellbeing

The COVID-19 Response of Health Systems Working with Refugee, Immigrant and Migrant Communities: A Qualitative Study

Thesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2022Refugee, immigrant, and migrant (hereafter referred to as “immigrant”) communities have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. There is little data to help us understand the perspectives of health system providers on their role in addressing inequities facing immigrant populations. This qualitative study used semi-structed interviews of 20 health system providers who cared for immigrant communities during the pandemic. Interviews were conducted between November 2020 and March 2021 and were analyzed through thematic analysis. We identified seven themes (with subthemes) that represent roles health systems performed. Our findings suggest that to effectively and impactfully respond to disparately affected communities during a pandemic, health systems should focus on building trusting relationships, acting intentionally, and partnering with community-based organizations and public health

Simple and Choice Reaction Time in Patients with Moderate and Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: A Longitudinal Examination of Change During the First Year of Injury

Moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (m-s TBI) can result in reduced speed of information processing and elevated reaction time intra-individual variability (RT-IIV). However, our understanding of longitudinal change during the first year of injury on measures of these processes is limited. This thesis employed a secondary analysis of findings from a simple- and a choice-reaction time (SRT; CRT) task to investigate change from 2- to 5- to 12-months following m-s TBI in (1) mean RT, (2) RT-IIV, and (3) ex-Gaussian parameters. We observed three different patterns of change depending on the outcome measure and/or analytic approach: asymptotic, characterized by significant early change (i.e., 2- to 5-months) and an absence of delayed change (i.e., from 5- to 12-months); ongoing, characterized by significant change from 2- to 5- to 12-months; and delayed, characterized by an absence of significant early change, but significant delayed change from 5- to 12-months. Clinical implications are discussed.M.Sc

Heart Regeneration in Carassius auratus: Histology and Response to Epinephrine

Fish have the remarkable ability to regenerate removed tissue such as fins, scales, and internal organs. Cardiac muscle regeneration, distinct from wound healing as in mammals, has been documented in Zebrafish. This study documents early histology in goldfish (Carassius auratus) after removal of ten percent of heart muscle and its response when challenged with epinephrine. Collagen infiltration was observed by day seven and replaced by functional muscle by day 28. Heart rate increased when challenged in control and regenerated hearts over saline injected hearts. Challenged regenerated hearts had a lower heart rate than pre-challenged regenerated and pre and post-challenged controls